The Mouse's Castle
by TheTravelWriter
Summary: Sequel to Sparrow's Nest as Yui travels across the world to escape the Sakamaki brothers and her doomed fate. What will she choose to do in the end?
1. Chapter 1

A properly planned sequel. Who would have guessed?

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE**

'98… 99… 100…' She dropped to the ground in a clumsy lump, thick and heavy breaths escaping her lips as she rolled onto her back, arms splayed out and her shirt soaked through with sweat, the voice of the news reporter announcing the disappearance of yet another girl approximately twenty miles from where her current hotel was. 'They're catching up fast.'

Since her last slip up, she had to move faster than ever across the border of Germany to the vast land of France and while it had been silent for the most part, she could not help but suspect a certain group upon hearing of the girl's disappearance though she had no evidence to back it up.

"Hey, Yui, tu pouvez utiliser la douche maintenant."

"Merci, Bernice."

One of the few people that knew Yui's name and certain to keep it to herself; she came across Bernice on her way towards the capital and stuck with her since though at first Yui was far less than willing, lifting herself off the carpet floor of the room and passing by Bernice to the bathroom.

They would be leaving that night. The intentions were to reach Caen by the end of the week and travel to Britain. After some sightseeing, which Bernice absolutely insisted upon, they would get a plane to America, and hopefully things would settle down after that.

"Oh, Bernice, tu avez besoin d'obtenir un passeport." It would be rather awkward if they arrived at the airport and she did not even have a passport, and she was too old to have the excuse of childhood. Only children under five could get away with that, and she certainly did not look five.

"Je vais demander à Jean pour un passeport demain." She acted as though it were truly that easy to obtain a passport, though with Jean's connections it was possible. Still, she was not willing to consider it so easily, stepping into the shower and twisting the valve to 'on', yelping slightly as cold water sprayed onto her, stepping away as it increased to the highest temperature before dulling to the expected heat shortly afterwards.

Bernice sat by the window where she could see the street below; a very quiet town with very few shops and a single restaurant they would be passing by in a few hours for lunch. Yui insisted that all people on the streets be watched carefully and if there was anyone even remotely suspicious that she tell her immediately, even so much as memorising their appearance.

It was natural to wonder what she was running from, but Yui said hardly a thing, only that she unintentionally got involved with a group of bad people and she was trying to get away from them. She did not explain why they were bad or how she got involved. She knew hardly anything about the girl and it frustrated her to no end, having been with her for almost a whole month and still knowing nothing but her first name and possibly how old she was.

Ruffling her hair semi-dry, Yui walked out of the steamy room with a towel around her shoulders. Her reflection in the main room mirror showed an almost embarrassing sight with blonde hair cropped to her cheeks in a once jagged mess now clumped to her freckled, sun burnt face, several faint scars from clumsiness dotting visible parts of her body, bites still visible after so long.

'I guess they were permanent after all…' The same beaten clothes rested on the bed but she did not change into them immediately, at least wanting to dry a bit before putting them back on; they would have to last quite some time. She walked over to Bernice, following the girl's gaze to the city street, noting each individual that passed by the hotel.

"Avez-tu vu quelque chose de suspect?" She shook her head no, the dark green eyes never wandering away from the window. It was something she had picked up from Yui, though she was yet to experience a situation that had caused her to act such a way. No doubt it would happen soon; the news update made her aware of this.

They were moving fast. The girl twenty miles away disappeared almost a day ago, and there were reports of another having disappeared approximately ten miles away. She still had no evidence to back up her suspicions, but if it were nothing but pure evidence she would never get far in this world.

"Nous quittons maintenant." If they were moving as fast as they were it would be too dangerous to stay in one place. If they hit the road now they might get lucky and sneak away before she was sniffed out, letting the towel drop to the ground as she changed. She said she would wait and let herself dry, but there was no time for that, buttoning up the shirt and clumping her soaked hair into a bunch, pulling the netting over, batting the dark brown wig before pulling it over, running her hands though it before putting on her hat. "Dépêchez-vous."

* * *

It's very French; and this is why I'm glad I took French. I hope you enjoyed it.


	2. Chapter 2

Now let's all agree that red herrings are your one true protection.

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO**

It was a relatively pleasant morning if anything at all, but the sky was barely visible and they both knew that it would be bad weather in the afternoon, hoping to be in a completely different part of the country by that point and time, sat firmly in the train with their attention focused elsewhere. Yui kept her head down, the pastel hat with the felt flowers on her lap, strong hands flattening it as she stared out of the window, Bernice opposite her also observing the countryside.

"Yui-."

"I'm Evie in public." Bernice apologised quickly, pausing for an instant, looking around, before continuing.

"Evie, you never told me what we're running from."

"Hopefully you won't be finding out." Bernice was, after all, only a temporary travelling partner and as such did not need to know what Yui knew; and she doubted that such a down-to-earth girl would believe such things to start with, believing only what she saw with her own two eyes, and she saw very little.

Bernice puffed out her cheeks and let out a loud sigh, slumping back in the uncomfortable seat as the train rocked from side to side at an awkward part of the track.

"I'm going to be changing course; we'll get to Paris and then I'll be taking another train to the airport." Bernice lifted her head at this, startled by the sudden change in direction. Nothing especially unusual had happened as of yet and no mysterious individuals were spotted outside their hotel or any other at any point; she could not understand the need for change when the first plan was so simply sweet.

Crossing her arms in a way that said 'don't argue with it' Yui continued.

"I'll be going back to Japan. They won't expect me to return to the beginning of my own will." That was her logic, and she was certain that they knew exactly where she had initially intended to go; they did have Reiji with them and Raito was very good and figuring people out. If she did a complete U-turn it would take them quite some time to figure out the change and hopefully by then an actual plan would be figured out. The S.A.S would have figured something out by then; she had given them three months to come up with a plan A and B and she somewhat doubted that her old friends would stand around and hope something would happen.

Bernice was flabbergasted. Yui was speaking about it so casually and without the slightest care as though they had not just spent the past month together; and now she was tossing her aside as though she were some extra background character in a mystery novel, her shock turning to frustration then and there.

"What, you think I won't be able to take it? That I'll chicken out or something?" Yui almost let surprise slip through her cool façade, turning her face to stare at Bernice directly.

"No, I never said that. It's better for your safety to stay out of this from now on." Bernice let a curse slip out, frustration almost making her eyes glow. "What you will see in this world is nothing short of hell."

"I've already seen hell!" Yui rose then, coming close, ignoring the gazes of other members as her own eyes stared with frightful hardness, like smooth pebbles along a marble surface, and then she spoke.

"You've seen nothing of hell." Her voice, usually calm and polite, came rough and hard and with an unwavering level of certainty that by simply hearing it Bernice found herself unable to come up with a response, sinking into the seat more out of discomfort than impatience as the calm returned to Yui who returned to her normal, upright way of sitting, shoulders stiff and back straight. "It's decided. You take care of yourself."

"Yeah…"

The only thing that could be said to be great about France was the food, and even then most of it tasted like dust in Ayato's mouth. It had only been a few hours since his last meal, and already his throat was drying up begging for something to replenish his hunger. He looked up only ever so slightly to see the time; midday and the sun was at its strongest. Groaning, he covered his eyes with the sunglasses, feeling his exposed skin peel and burn, wishing he had not let his guard down around that hoodie; Laito stealing it while he was grabbing a bite to drink.

The place smelt familiar; or rather he could sniff out something that was not quite so foreign to him and it was relatively close by, down some alleyway that he had passed by some time earlier without the smell there. He paused in the middle of the street, the person behind him walking into him, grumbling something he could not care to listen for, tilting his head for any unusual noises, hearing none.

Walking down the side street with the cap pulled down, only a single homeless man acknowledged his existence as he passed through the street, constantly sniffing out the cause of the smell, reaching the end of the street where a single cat sat with the floral headpiece that Yui always wore wrapped around its neck.

"Shit." It was the third red herring Yui had set up for him, and now his mouth was watering with nothing to eat, cursing a second time as he took a strong hold of head decoration, almost ripping it off, holding it strongly in his hands.

Laito found the first red herring, a lock of hair that was wound into a dog's collar, and Subaru found the other; a red jacket that she gave to a homeless man. The blood of that man was too distasteful and fatty for them to even consider drinking despite their rage.

He shoved it into his pocket; a precious keepsake for the troublesome girl. It was a matter of pride from beginning to end as well as a matter of boredom and he was glad to know that he knew exactly where she was going. Laito, however, disagreed and began to contemplate whether she would change course. Though he would not admit it, he was beginning to see the reason behind his suspicions. It would be no surprise if she were to suddenly change locations and go to a completely different country. Russia was a big place; it would seem to be a good place to hide out; as would America. Equally, she could do a complete U-turn and return to Japan, but that would be ridiculous and surely the complete opposite of what she wanted to do.

"Bloody Pancake…" She would be getting more than a smack when he caught hold of her, and locking her in the Iron Maiden would not be enough either. "Bloody Yui…" He turned away, aiming to return to the hotel they were staying in. They would have to move now if they were to catch her before she left.


	3. Chapter 3

Solid evidence that Yui is most certainly not liking her situation and would very much like to get out of it.

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE**

There was not much she had considered taking note of in the city, or if she did she kept her face generally disinterested; a neutral slate that said 'I'm only here because I have to be', Yui by her side with a much more welcoming expression, a tiny smile and innocent wide eyes that completely hid the fact that she was analysing every nook and cranny of the city streets.

Even the clouds directly above her and the power lines were taken into account, the amount of people and the delay of the traffic lights written down in her mind as they walked in almost complete silence towards the airport.

Bernice did not understand it. Three times she had changed her plan. First she was going to take her to the next city and return to the nearest airport, but she did not complain and instead accepted Bernice's stubborn return, not so much as flinching when she escaped through the storage carriages, following her without knowing that she had known her to be there the whole time, startled to find it true.

'Is she just making it up as she goes along?' She would not be surprised, but there was a cold intelligence about Yui; a conscious awareness of everything and anything that made it seem as though nothing could escape her eyes. Had she believed in such things, she would have believed that Yui could see the future.

Some of Yui's friends were arriving from Japan. Bernice had never seen Yui make a phone call, or she had never made any phone calls that seemed to be beyond pizza deliveries or making appointments with doctors or whatever she needed for her chest that always seemed to be aching in some way or another.

"So…uh, how did you meet these friends of yours?" Disliking the silence between them, though she was supposed to be used to such quiet at this point and time; Yui never one to talk too long, Bernice decided to start light conversation.

"One of them found me lying in the middle of a road and picked me up." She said it so casually that Bernice almost dismissed it, before realising that it was not exactly normal for someone to lie down in the middle of the road.

"What were you doing there?"

"Collapsed."

Turning the corner, the sounds of a passing aeroplane could be heard from above. Yui did not look up but Bernice did.

"That must be their flight."

"It could be." Soaring over them, it was almost deafening, blurring all other city sounds as they continued down the street, standing by the street lights, waiting for the red man to turn green. "After I talk with them I will need you to do something for me."

"Huh? What?"

In terms of airports, it was rather small, with a rather short runway and only a few aeroplanes, most of them jets of that could fit only a couple dozen people inside. The building was only two storeys tall and squat, and only a few years old, though the pavements and paths were already exposed to an increase of moss and the white walls were peeled, giving it a rather dreary look, the scenery furthest away from the eyesore much more charming.

And standing at the front entrance of the small airport was a group of three people that Yui recognised, and one girl that was fresh in her mind though not immediately recognisable.

The girl sat in a wheelchair with thin arms and legs and visible cheekbones, but though her skin was pale and her eyes vague there was a feeling of life in her, a faint spark in her blurred blue eyes and a blush along her cheeks, and at one point she had seemed rather beautiful.

It was the sole survivor of the Sakamaki brothers; the one she had went through the effort of saving and the girl that unintentionally threw her into this situation, but upon her face was a smile once seeing this girl, still damaged but still alive.

"Hey, Yui, long time no see. How's your health plan?" Ryou hopped in on conversation immediately, practically skipping down the stairs for a hug, threatening to squish Yui's tiny frame, apologising when she let out a tiny yelp of protest. "Still as small as ever."

"I stopped growing a long time ago, Ryou, you know that." She let out a huff, resting a hand on her chest, Ryou noting the action with calm brown eyes.

"Does it still hurt?" Almost looking startled at the question, Yui shook her head.

"Oh, I forgot to mention, this is Bernice." Bernice, not knowing exactly what she ought to do and not exactly caring, raised a hand in a sluggish attempt at saying hello. "She'll be helping us."

All Yui needed was a phone. A basic mobile phone that she could carry in her pocket, no extra apps or details necessary. Maybe a camera if she was feeling sassy. She also needed confirmation that she was in the right city, Ichirou confirming that she was indeed in the right city, though he said it with no happiness on his face and was already showing signs of protesting though he had heard what Yui had in plan many times already.

"And I'll need Sword." Sword pointed at herself, falsifying ignorance with a puckered lip and raised brow. "Wear something like this." Tossing a brown wig her way, it fell in an embarrassing heap on her lap, already in knots and almost unrecognisable until she lifted it, combing through the strands with spidery fingers.

"This is almost suicide."

"Then it's not much different from last time." Ichirou bit back him comments then, first horrified then frustrated then guilty, but not daring to look away; he never looked away.

"Are you certain this will work, Miss Komori?" It was surprising how she had taken such a gentle tone since Yui last saw her in the school. Before then she was like a spit fire and jumping head first at every opportunity. Perhaps the incident had changed her as it had changed Yui.

"Yes, Ai, if there's one thing I'm certain of it's that a vampire keeps their promise." Ai frowned ever so slightly, creasing her face in a way that was almost abnormal to look at. "And they absolutely cannot resist a game."

* * *

Click clack.

Click clack.

Pressing the buttons on the phone and bringing it to her ear, she let it ring for several moments before it finally picked up.

Click clack.

Click clack.

"Hello; I suppose this is the first time I've talked to you over the phone."

"Yui?" So surprised he used her actual name? Impressive.

"That's correct. I've never really had time to ask, so how are you?"

Turning at the bridge, many mirrors reflected blind spots in her vision, the water from one of the many small rivers bubbling underneath her, a car rushing by.

"Oi! Where are you?"

"Good question." His voice was a demand, and she could hear the danger though she could not see his face. They were all like that, though the iron maiden was significantly less frightful than any punishment Kanato could come up with. "You're nearby just now."

"Huh?" She let out a scoff, though she was nervous and frightened beyond reason, seeing a glimmer of him in a café near the next bridge along the edge where the water disappeared underground. To him, she was just another person passing by.

"I'm sick of running around, and personally I think you feel the same." He was looking around now, trying to catch sight of her, but she looked nothing like herself and she was but a single person in a crowd. "So I'm going to bring about a challenge, for you and your brothers; winner takes all."

She could now hear Subaru, seeing him grab the phone, hearing the clatters and the curses as he fought with Ayato, Kanato's voice rising in the background as he, too, lost his temper, Reiji making some snark remark and Shuu complaining about how tired he was before the phone was reclaimed.

"The rules are simple; find me and restrain me for the remaining time and you shall win. If you cannot do this within the time limit, I win. If you win, you can have me. Do what you will, I don't care. However, if I win, you give up your search and I get out free; and you will never come near me again. Fair game?"

"Where the hell are you?" It was Subaru's voice that broke through, rugged and exhausted and in no mood for games.

"I told you. I'm nearby. If you do not comply I cannot control what my friends will decide to do to you." That was no lie. While she hated the idea of killing anyone, no matter how wicked, her friends were very keen on getting rid of dangerous vampires or whatever else may come their way. "The time limit is twenty-four hours. If, by 12.28PM tomorrow you do not succeed, you give up looking for me for good."

"Oi, oi, Pancake, who said we were going to do anything?" She stopped then, not because she had to think on it, but because she had come to her stop, staring directly at them though they could not see her.

"I don't know, who did?"

He started to turn, to look her direction, and she smiled, never stepping away. All he saw was a dark-haired girl with her phone to her ear, too blurred to be recognised as anyone else.

"Twenty-four hours. Of course, if you don't follow through even I don't know what will happen." But she did, glancing at the lorry behind her. A threat to both her and to them. Or it would be. And that would be an interesting scene. "Can you do it?"

There was nothing as fragile as a vampire's ego, and nothing quite as dogmatic as their pride. She knew they would accept even without her eyes. She knew because if there was one thing they could not deny it was a challenge.

"Fine. Twenty-four hours."

With that, she ended the call and shoved the phone into her pocket.

'Let's hope this works.'


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

_12.45PM December 21st_

They met up in the hotel room where Yui and Bernice packed their bags, securing everything they possibly could, Yui leaving what she could in the van that had been rented out by the others. Of course, she refused to play fair; she was no vampire and humans were known for _not _following through with their promises and she intended to cheat if necessary without full out breaking the rules.

And she chose the perfect night as well. A new moon was due; even if she were to be captured she would not face the full front of their wrath, times with the Sakamaki's, Mukami's, and in the S.A.S taught her that.

The hotel room looked down upon a busy street with beautiful trees at their dullest, the sights of city rubbish and the loud curses of frustrated people colliding with one another, as well as the thick clouds of black smoke ruined any hopes of charming scenery. She already missed the countryside and regardless of how it all came to end she wished that she would not be visiting the city as often as she had in the past few months.

With the dark brown wig upon her head, and another on Bernice and Sword, they wore clothes similar in appearance and adjusted the ear pieces, testing.

"Bernice reporting. Un. Deux. Trois."

"Copy that Bernice." Sword replied in a relatively cheerful tone, buttoning up her woollen cardigan before nodding over to Ichirou. On Ai's lap was a set of binoculars; she would be extremely important when it came to making sure that neither Sword, Eyes, or Bernice came into contact with one another or one of the brothers.

"You ready for this?" Ryou zipped up his bag, everything he needed stuffed inside.

"As ready as I always am." Sword stared down at her scarf before removing it, wrapping it around Ryou's neck. It was a bright red and had snowmen knitted onto it. "You'll catch a cold if you don't wrap up warm." Ryou had caught a cold many times on such missions and never had he learnt his lesson; more often than not another had to remind him and sacrifice a scarf or a hat just to make sure he was in good condition by the end and not rendered a coughing, sneezing mess.

"It all finishes tomorrow."

_13.12PM_

Seeing couples and friends together window shopping was not a sight he especially enjoyed, and with his mood fouled by hunger and now another game he was close to starting a scene just for the sake of letting out his frustration, but that would take time and already time had been spent adjusting to the commands of his prey.

'Prey doesn't give out demands. I'll throw her in the iron maiden when this is over.' That would teach her to defy him, and to do so without the slightest regret. It were almost as though she were mocking him, claiming him weak if he did not comply and if there was one thing he was _not _it was weak.

Despite the sour mood there was excitement and anticipation, both for the thrill of the hunt and the succession that would follow. It had been far too long since he had even gathered a glimpse of the girl. Almost a year of following a shadow alone with little trinkets that were left behind as traps when they got too close to the figure casting the shadow.

It was almost unconscious how tightly he clasped the hair accessory, not noticing how it cracked into fragile pieces until he felt it, taking it out of his pocket and staring at the fractured flowers. She would not need some old ruined accessory anyway; he would get her a new one once she started behaving herself.

Window shopping almost seemed like a good idea then, noticing the many little treasures and gifts out on display; Christmas just around the corner. That could wait until later, he needed to catch her first.

'If I were a dumb little pancake where would I hide?' He already knew. Her voice was harsher and her mind harder, but she hid nowhere different. It was all too obvious from the very beginning.

_13.14PM_

The elevator reached the final floor, Ai rolling her chair out the doors, down the corridor, pausing to catch her breath before continuing, easing at the stairs and lifting herself upwards, her legs shaking, arms aching as she stood in a way that she had not for quite some time, clasping onto the stair railings as she shoved the roof door open, stumbling slightly as she walked towards the edge, kneeling down before lying down, the ear piece snug in her ear canal, microphone close to her mouth as she lifted her binoculars, searching the streets for familiar faces.

She had very good ideas. Not the sort of eyes that Yui had, nor Ryou, but she could see the members of the S.A.S clear as day, smiling ever so slightly when she confirmed that none of them had been caught or harmed. She was reluctant when it came to searching for the Sakamaki's. There was a fear that had been built into her, telling her that if she spied on them they would see her and consume her, and there was nothing that stimulated fear more than remembering those experiences.

'Subaru Sakamaki is approaching Bernice.' Turning the microphone on, Ai spoke carefully.

"Subaru Sakamaki is close on your trail. Turn right down the alleyway and enter the café. Go out through the back door and continue left down the street." She saw Bernice turn down the alleyway and pass through the street.

Directing her attention to Sword, she noted the girl as she threw bread at the ducks before looking up at the sky. It was soon to snow and no one could deny it. Sword started walking along the bridge towards the library.

Yui was nowhere to be seen, which was something that Ai expected, instead searching for the van that she was hiding in. Yui would stay in the van until she reached her first hiding spot; there was no way she was going to walk in broad view. Despite the disguises it was her scent that the Sakamaki's would be seeking out and though they wore her clothes, they would smell nothing like her once the clothes were worn too long.

She spotted the van. Ichirou drove out front under the guise of a bloated old man. Down the main street they went, around the corner and past-

Laito turned his head towards the van. He had smelt something and Ai could see this, pressing her lips together, concern showing on her face as he stood for several moments before the possibility clicked in his mind.

"Yui get out of there _now_." She spoke before Laito visibly teleported out of sight, the bewildered expressions of other citizens questioning whether perhaps he was a magician. Ai watched the van with anticipation, listening for a response on Yui's side, but the microphone was off. "Yui can you hear me? Laito is in the van. Get out now." There was no response, Ai clicking her teeth together before fumbling with the settings.

_13.18PM_

"Sword, can you hear me? Laito has teleported inside the van. I'm not hearing anything on Yui's side." Yui paused in place, pressing her hand gently against her ear, flipping the microphone into visibility.

"Ryou."

"Nothing on my side either." Yui had gone mute. That could mean anything, and 'anything' could be the worst possible thing to happen. She had to reach the van fast if Yui were to come out safely, taking a U-turn and returning the way she came. She knew the route, but she did not know how far they had travelled.

_13.19PM_

"Bitch-chan, you're too cold."

* * *

Meanwhile I am studying Archaeology, Anthropology, Film and Visual Culture, and Arabic. 'Tis an Indiana Jones life for me.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

13.19PM

The back of the van was empty, though the sweet smell of her remained fresh, taunting him so with something that was out of reach; just barely there but not close enough.

"Bitch-chan, you're so cold."

Yui had pressed herself into the foot space of the passenger seat, her tiny body barely able to fit with hands and feet flung out in a rapid attempt to hide herself before being caught, but it was all too obvious where she had escaped to with the window leading to the storage area of the van open and her hat hooked onto the passenger seat; the woollen material trapped on the corner, her wig slightly disturbed though she would not dare move it, keeping her mouth shut and holding her breath in fear of Laito hearing her out.

She could hear him speak and hear him walk, his shoes clanking against the metal floor. It would not be long until he figured it out and found her, and she was not willing to risk such a thing so early on, turning her eyes to the door. They were going too fast for her to roll out and she would be noticed immediately, but it would be equally foolish to stay in such a crowded space, turning her eyes to Ichirou then back at the door.

He thought her mad before she could speak, feeling sweat trickle down his chin and along his neck, leaving a streak of dark skin under the falsified freckled face. She was desperate and it was obvious, but she had not reached the wild state of previous incidents and knew that if he did not follow through she would do something much more dangerous and the longer she stared at the door the deeper his concern grew.

13.21PM

Yui turned down the third alleyway, passing by a homeless man in a bright red jacket that Eyes once owned. She had no reason to doubt that long before they arrived Eyes had been playing a similar game with them, but on a much larger scale and without any rules. There was no difference in the way she was acting now, and Yui found a complete lack of reason in it. Or, at least, she found a complete lack of immediate reason in it.

Eyes was an abnormality in the simple fact that, though she had abilities that were considered almost inhumane, she absolutely refused to kill. She could injure, dear god could she injure, but never had she considered killing a single living thing no matter what it had done. Since she would refuse to kill, she would settle on misleading and disarming. She could have a whole army hunt her down and still send them in the wrong direction; it was her special ability regardless of what was pumping blood around her.

'Well, not so much anymore.' Though she said it with caution. Things rarely ended so easily, and the fact that Eyes was still pushing through with terrifying persistence despite injuries and potential maiming suggested that whatever had been put in her had not left.

But her concerns did not involve what Eyes may or may not still have in her; her concerns revolved around getting to Eyes before something else caught her, quickening her pace as she turned the corner down the main street she ought to reach.

Turning left, she brought one leg back, knelt down, and pushed forward.

13.33PM

He did not have to count. He kept it inside his head where it should be, his hands firm on the steering wheel as he took a sudden, sharp turn right, along the pavements, swerving to avoid pedestrians as Yui pulled the door open, the door scraping against the granite walls of nearby buildings.

She knelt, steadying herself as the van struggled. He was aiming to crash and she had only one opportunity. One . Two.

'Who counts anyway?'

She threw herself out.

13.35PM

Yui came to a stop as she saw a van driving wildly along the pavements of the busy road, crashing into a green-painted metal fence, leaving an enormous dent in the material, the wheels still going even though the van had long since stopped moving. Smoke eased out of the front and at the front of the van was an unconscious man who she knew, for she knew everything about the situation, the only calm member of the crowd as people scurried away from the sight, many already on their phones calling for ambulances for both the driver and the people that had been injured by him.

Ichirou was already out of the game, and so early on. She was worried that perhaps she, and Eyes, had mistakenly underestimated the Sakamaki brothers already. Normal vampires were like wolves; they were good at hunting their prey, especially in groups, but if you knew their tactics, they were easy to deal with.

Under the circumstances it seemed that the vampires thought the exact same way, and they were much faster when it came to picking up tactics.

Yui was swift in getting out of the scene, noting the ambulance's arrival before escaping the scene. She knew that the vampire would not have stayed inside, and she also knew that Eyes would have fled as well.

'What's the fastest route…?' Laito would be hot on her trail, and would no doubt lead her to her own personal prison. If she could redirect the vampire, Eyes would be able to reach her hide-out. It would be easy game from then on, or at least that was what she had hoped, but everything was already a huge mess and they had another twenty-three hours of traps and deceptions to go through. 'Eyes, please tell me you know what you're doing.' She knew that Eyes did not. She was not a planning person; she did the first thing that came to her mind and hoped that it would work for her, and in some cases it did.

13.38PM

Coming to a halt, she stopped running when she reached the beginning of the path, gravestones of all ages scattered about her; granite to marble. Mourning angels rested upon some graves and there were beautiful, colourful flowers lying on some graves. At the end of the path was a set of small steps, and beyond that the great oak doors of a beautifully neglected church.

The sounds of the city could be heard even inside the church where the click-clack of her boots bounced against the empty walls, the gleaming figure of Jesus Christ at the altar where a priest would tell stories from the bible.

This was a setting she knew all too well; she had been raised in such an environment and no matter how often she entered a church, she still found it to be of great beauty. The way the painted glass shone all possible colours along the red carpet and benches that people would pray at always made her feel at ease, even when she was aware of the fact that she was not safe at all, made clear when strong hands pressed against her shoulders.

"It's good to see you too, Mister Sakamaki." She did not struggle or squirm, keeping a false and firm smile upon her face, if only to make him believe that she was actually in control of the current situation.

"Too easy, Pancake." She had picked too obvious a place to hide, he thought with a coy smirk upon his face; declaring his victory though he had to keep her in place for another twenty-three hours; something he could do by rendering her unconscious and tying her if he felt it would fit, and he thought it would.

"Seeing as you can't drain me dry until the game is over, how about we get something else to eat?" She was better in open areas. It made her feel less nervous and offered her many places to run, but with his victory firmly in his hands he was not about to let such things happen, and he would be right behind her at all times.

"Don't feel like it." She was too optimistic, but let no disappointment show on her face. A fake date would not work with his mind.

"Well then, what do you want to do?" She would have to distract him while she thought up a reasonable plan. Technically she could remain in his grasp until near the end of the game then escape and she would be the winner. She would be willing to test the theory, especially if she could think up nothing else.

"…Nevermind." He took her by the hand with a vicious grip that would have broken most hands and pulled her towards the exit. He hated churches and everything to do with them; he felt sickly being in them and Yui's love of them only soured his mind, as though it were somehow possible to become jealous of an inanimate object. "I'm hungry after all." He was lying; vampires only ever got hungry for blood, but he was craving something and if there were any oriental restaurants that had takoyaki, it would serve as victory food as well as something to improve his mood. With Yui stuck with him, he was certain that he could relax even the smallest amount, though he noted the hard glint in her eyes that proved that she was more than willing to flee the moment he dropped it.

'Not for long though.' Yui ought to keep to her promises. After all, once he won this he was allowed to do whatever he pleased and she was not allowed to struggle or run away like she had last time. It was not as fun, but at the same time he would be happy with the end results overall.

"You look stupid with brown hair." He tore the wig off and threw it aside. She did not suit brown hair at all; it was too dark for her and did not match her eyes. She had hacked off most of her hair, leaving it in messy blonde clumps. If there was one thing she would not be in the future, it was a hairdresser.

"Really? I thought I looked pretty cute." Yet another thing that needed to be sorted out. And all because she was running from them? His brother he could understand; if it weren't for the fact that they were his brothers he would have happily have escaped with her, but to run from him? Now that was a crime that was undeservingly cruel. He was not that bad. He could have done much worse, although part of his mind did tell him that perhaps some of the punishments were a bit extreme upon looking back on them, but she should have just done what he said instead of fighting back.

'How annoying.' He did not want to think about such stupid things. As though he was not already frustrated, her complete lack of care for how he felt under the circumstances, sighing out comments that disregarded his own such as 'I thought I looked pretty cute', did nothing but make his grip tighten as he turned to her.

"Nope. Not cute at all. Hurry up and tell me where there's food." He could not issue out punishments yet. He had to wait and, sadly, he was not a very patient person.

"Of course. That way." She need only bide her time. Sword and the others would be looking for her. When the right moment came, escape was just a matter of timing. "Takoyaki?"

"Of course, idiot, what else would it be?" Was she really so dumb as to forget that much, or had she chosen to forget. Either way, how dare she. "Damn you're annoying."

"Feel free to let me go at any time." So that was her plan? Annoy him enough that he was desperate to be freed of her? Ha! He had a lot more patience than that; she was not exactly the most annoying piece of meat that he had come across.

Turning the corner, the restaurant was visible almost immediately. It looked to be an expensive place, though that was of little concern to him; he had more than enough money on him and he did not care so much that he was willing to wander the entire city for a cheaper place to eat even if he did not have such money.

"Hurry up, you're slow." She was not really; he did not need to slow down for her once and stood to his side without the slightest sign of discomfort, as though this were an everyday thing and she was simply going on a date with him; as if she had somehow earned that title. Oh how cute.

He checked his watch.

It was only 13.45PM. Hardly any time had passed at all, cursing slightly under his breath at this realisation. Yui must have known it to; for what other reason could she be so calm? She was thinking that he would not be able to keep her in place for much longer. Well she would have to think again. Twenty-three hours was but a second in the eyes of a vampire; he could wait.

13.53PM

Ai pulled away from the binoculars. Her head was aching, a potential migraine beginning to surface. She was pushing herself too far, and the city air was doing her no good. Lifting herself off the ground, she brushed down her dress with a spidery hand and turned vaguely towards the door. She hated walking in her condition, legs quivering under the weight of her body, struggling as she walked, clinging to the railing as she walked down the small set of stairs, bending down into her wheelchair and letting out a sigh. That was the limit of her exercise for the next hour.

"I see you're in good health then." She would not speak, keeping her mouth shut as was deemed right under the circumstances, pressing her hands against her dress, the headset there; still on for everyone to hear.

"Ah… good afternoon, Mister Sakamaki." She kept her voice timid and quiet, as was her nature when facing the man before her. "…Miss Komori is not in this building."

"I have begun to notice this." Was his response. He always kept such a calm voice even when angry, and angry and irritable was what he appeared to be. He was not angry towards anyone in specific, perhaps irritability came as a result of constant chasing, but his anger seemed to be an underlining feature of both Yui fleeing when the chance came to her, and Ai's turning against him; as though he had earned some right to keep her from working against him.

"…The sky is very blue just now, isn't it?" An instant defence mechanism. One could not get angry at a comment regarding the sky, unless the person had a grudge against that specific weather and felt fury hearing about the weather or anything to do with it.

"Yes. It is." She fell silent again. He would declare her rude if she were to try and leave as a conversation just started and, unlike Yui, she had no game or rules to defend herself, and she was in much poorer condition than Yui.

The silence was almost painful. A cold, bitter feeling in the air that both could feel and both found disagreeable; Reiji surprisingly more than the quiet, crippled girl before him. She would not be walking properly for an incredibly long time. Even now he found himself surprised at how fragile humans were.

"I… must get going now. I have to eat." She was trying to leave without telling him a single thing. How disgraceful, had she truly forgotten all of his lessons already?

"I shall follow you." He tried not to take it personally; after all it had been almost a whole year since she had last been taught under him, and for the most part her mind was too sickly to notice a single thing. Hearing that she was at least eating was enough of a comfort for the time being.

"There is no need to worry yourself-."

"I am not worrying myself. Do not assume things that are not true." Even though there was a touch of worry for her health, he found himself scoffing at the idea; there was nothing special about her. Her blood was of relatively average taste and whatever grace that came from her appearance had collapsed along with her condition that shortly followed her refusal to eat or move from the prison cell. Perhaps she was mocking him by presenting herself in such a way that made it seem as though he were the one to leave her in such a condition.

"Of course." She would no doubt lead to Yui, regardless. Yui's blood was of much more suitable taste and the girl would last much longer. Ai, this girl, would be like this for much longer. He did not care for the person all that much; the fact remained that he was after the blood and he did not care for blood that was average if anything. Once this was all over he would leave the girl behind. Yes, that was what he would do.

* * *

Heh. Maybe I'll write a story on Ai one day. After I finish everything else I keep throwing up onto .


End file.
